Parents Education Corner: Planning for Life After High School

Parents of rising high school juniors, seniors, and the soon to be class of 2024 graduates, this is for you. It seems like yesterday my kids were in elementary school, and now my youngest is in college. I mean where does the time go? What is the plan for life after high school? Have you really talked about it? Below are some things to think about and possibly plan for your students:

Rising Juniors (11th graders)

• Ask your counselor for your grade point average (gpa) and class rank

• Your overall gpa from 9th,10th and 11th grade are what you’re applying to college with, so finish 10th grade strong. It’s not too late.

• Visit colleges in person or virtually, if you haven’t started. This helps narrow down preferences when it’s time to apply. Plus, the admissions personnel will talk about the importance of grades, involvement, etc. It’s a great back up to what you may have said at home but fell on deaf ears.

• Make sure your student is involved in a club, sport,or activity he or she is interested in, and encourage your student to have some leadership experience. He or she can also volunteer, babysit, work, etc. The point is that they do something meaningful with their time.

• Plan out the next two years and know when the Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and SAT exams are.

  • When are college applications due?

  • What’s needed for the military if that’s your path?

  • What jobs or internships are you looking for if you’re going into the workforce?

• The summer after 11th grade is college application time.

• Google ‘What are the prompts for the Common Application?’ See if it’s the same as the year before. Sometimes it is. If this is the case, then your student can work on that before senior year begins.

• If the high school offers a college Bootcamp, attend it with your student.

• Look for college scholarships.

• Review their social media and ensure they are secure. Colleges, employers, organizations look at social media. Ensure it reflects the best of you and won’t cost you an opportunity.

Rising Seniors (12th grade)

• Parents, this should be an exciting time for you and your student(s).

• Many colleges have November application deadlines for Early Decision and Early Action opportunities. Look at each college to see what those dates are.

• Some colleges have Rolling Admissions and accept applications as early as July and August which means a decision may be received by August or September.

• Students need to keep their grades up and take the most rigorous classes available to them. Some colleges will resend acceptances if students slack during senior year.

• College tours are informative and allow the student to see and feel if the college is a good fit before they actually attend. It can save you the application fee if they decide it’s not a school they want to attend.

• Set a goal with your student to decide when all applications will be completed. If your student does it early, then he/she can focus on school work and enjoy the many exciting activities that are a part of the senior year experience. Some Regular Decision Application dates are as late as January and February, and decisions don’t come out until March or April.

• Apply, apply, apply for scholarships

• Some private colleges and universities give more money than state colleges and universities and some give enough for it to be the equivalent to an instate college or university. Don’t limit your students' opportunities because you don’t think you can afford it.

• Review their social media and ensure they are secure. Colleges, employers, organizations look at social media. Ensure it reflects the best of you and won’t cost you an opportunity.

Class of 2024: Congratulations!

• Celebrate this milestone with your student. Encourage your student to stay connected to good friends, and to be okay knowing that they may never see some of their classmates again.

• Whatever your student's path, enjoy the time together.You can help them pay attention to details for upcoming events.

  • When is onboarding for the new job?

  • What is the deadline date for the math or composition placement exam?

  • What is the deadline date to select housing and dining choices for their college?

  • When does team practice begin?

• Review their social media and ensure they are secure. Colleges, employers, organizations look at social media. Ensure it reflects the best of you and won’t cost you an opportunity.

As parents, we try our best to know our children. Counselors are asking them what their interests are and what their plans are after high school. It’s a challenging time. It’s an exciting time. It’s time to start talking about it, even if they have no idea. Broad experiences outside of the classroom will help them learn what they like and dislike. Knowing what you dislike is just as important as knowing what you like.I hope you noticed the emphasis on being aware of their social media accounts. Don’t let a bad picture or post affect a future opportunity. Let’s continue to talk to our students and remind them that as parents we’re on their team.

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”